At times a few words have enough force in them to rob you off your night’s sleep, swerve your mood around on a 180 degree angle, make you think and re-think.
Spotted an author’s end note in a book shop today that has been on my mind…

“The greatest thing to learn in life is not to love, but to love in return”

And here I was thinking I was great to be able to love, to know what its like and to convince myself not to expect a return, but probably not unless I’d learn to love someone back, someone who I wouldn’t normally, someone; only love coz they love me – a reason small enough.

I’ve often repeated a certain story to a couple of my friends, stating it below…

One day, a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he’d the most beautiful heart; it was perfect; there was not a mark of flaw in it. Suddenly, an old man appeared and said, “Your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.” The young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly, but it was full of scars, jagged edges and holes. He laughed, “You must be joking.”

He said, “Compare your heart with mine; mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”

“Yes,” said the old man, “every scar represents a person to whom I’ve given mylove; I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty space in my heart, but ’cause the places aren’t exact, I’ve some rough edges which I cherish, ’cause they remind me of the love which we shared. Sometimes I’ve given pieces of my heart away and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me.

They’re empty gouges – giving love, is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I’ve for these people too and someday they may return and fill the space I’ve waiting – so, now, do you see what true beauty is?”